Fairfax County Public Schools will change up its schedule tomorrow (Monday) in anticipation of potentially severe weather, including thunderstorms and even possible tornadoes.
Instead of the more typical two-hour delayed opening, however, FCPS has announced that schools and administrative offices will close three hours early, forcing many families to scramble for last-minute child care plans.
While accumulations are limited, today’s snowfall was substantial enough to convince Fairfax County Public Schools to delay classes tomorrow (Tuesday).
All schools and central offices will open two hours late tomorrow after the National Weather Service issued an advisory warning of potentially challenging travel conditions during the morning rush hour.
Most Fairfax County residents woke up this morning (Monday) to a wintry landscape, but the amount of snow they saw varied depending on exactly where in the county they live.
Snow accumulations from the storm that arrived in the D.C. region yesterday (Sunday) afternoon ranged from a mere inch in the Mount Vernon area to 4.5 inches in Reston, the highest amount recorded in the county, according to preliminary data from the National Weather Service.
After initially planning a two-hour delay, Fairfax County Public Schools has now canceled classes tomorrow (Monday) as snow has begun to accumulate across the D.C. region.
“Due to the worsening weather conditions, and after careful consideration, all FCPS schools and central offices will now be closed Monday, February 23, 2026,” FCPS said in an update issued shortly after 6:20 p.m.
Just when the snow and ice from the last winter storm has mostly cleared, another is making its way toward the D.C. region.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the area, including Fairfax County, starting at 3 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday). The alert is currently scheduled to remain in effect until 10 a.m. Monday (Feb. 23).
Fairfax County Public Schools resumed regular classes on Monday (Feb. 9) for the first time since a double whammy of snow and ice hit the D.C. region in late January, but many students still encounter blocked sidewalks and intersections on the way to their school or bus stop.
That was the case earlier this week in the Franklin Farm neighborhood near Herndon, where sidewalks around a school bus stop at Old Dairy Road and Tyburn Tree Court remained stubbornly covered in ice.
After a couple days where temperatures ticked above freezing, the D.C. region will see a return of the frigid weather responsible for the “snowcrete” still piled up on many sidewalks and roadways.
The National Weather Service has issued Extreme Cold and High Wind warnings for the region, including Fairfax County, that are scheduled to take effect at 4 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday).
Fairfax County Public Schools will start classes two hours late for the rest of this week, as lingering “snowcrete” continues to hinder travel.
“As we look to the rest of the week and the persistent presence of snow and ice on many of our sidewalks and bus stops, we feel the safest thing to do for our students and staff is to continue with our delayed start times,” FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid said in a message to families.
Fairfax County supervisors in coming days will be compiling a list of positives and negatives related to the local and state response to late January’s crippling snow and ice storm.
Their comments and questions will then be forwarded to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and other agencies responsible for clearing snow.
Fairfax County Public Schools will start classes on a two-hour delay tomorrow (Wednesday), as the region continues its slow recovery from the Jan. 25 winter storm.
Like they did today (Tuesday), school and administrative offices will open on time, as will afternoon preschool and adult education classes.
